The Rules of Handball (Team Handball or Olympic Handball) – EXPLAINED!


Ninh explains the RULES of Handball
Handball, otherwise known as Team Handball or Olympic Handball, is a game that’s a
mixture of basketball, soccer, and ice hockey. Handball is played with two teams of 14, with 7 players taking to the court at any one time. This includes one goal keeper and 6 field
players. The objective of the game is for your team
to score more goals than the opposing team. To score a goal, a player must throw the ball
into the goal. These goals at 3m wide x 2m high.
The ball must completely cross the goal line and the shooting player must not step into
the crease for a goal to count. The goal crease is a 6m radius around the
goal, and the free throw line is a 9m radius. The court itself 40m x 20m.
The game starts by the team that wins the coin toss with a throw off.
Once a team has possession of the ball, a player must not hold onto it for more than
three seconds, nor must a player take any more than three steps.
Failure to do this results in a free throw being awarded to the opposing team.
You can pass the ball directly between teammates, or dribble the ball like in basketball, where
you bounce the ball up and down repeatedly whilst in motion.
Players must make a conscious effort to move the ball up the court and try to score.
If the referee decides that the team is making no attempt to shoot, this is known as ‘passive
play’ and the ball is awarded to the other team.
The opposing team will try and stop you by blocking the ball with their hands and arms,
making frontal body contact, and forming walls with other team mates to force errors from
the attacking team. A defender has to be careful here, as they
cannot pull the ball out of the attacking players hands, nor can they push or jump into
them. Any of these infractions results in a free throw being awarded to the other team.
The game is played in 2 x 30 minute halves, for a total playing time of 60 minutes.
Highest score at the end of time wins. If the game ends in a tie, up to 2 x 5 minute
overtime periods are played to determine the winner.
If the game is still tied after two overtime periods, it goes to a penalty shootout just
like soccer. Handball is an easy sport to understand, but
there’s a few other things you’ll need to know before you play or watch a game. For example: Goal Crease
The goal crease (or goal area) is the exclusive domain of the goalkeeper.
All players have to be aware that only the goalkeeper is allowed in the goal crease.
If an attacking player steps into the goal crease and scores a goal, the goal is disallowed.
If a defending player steps into the goal crease to stop someone shooting, a 7 metre
throw is awarded to the attacking team. Seven Metre Throw
This is the equivalent of a penalty kick in soccer.
If a defender steps into the goal crease to prevent someone shooting, or has prevented
a legitimate chance to score, a 7 metre throw is awarded.
A player lines up at the 7 metre line and gets to shoot once against the goalkeeper.
All shots that go into the goal counts. Dribble Fault
Just like the double dribble violation in basketball, a player cannot dribble the ball,
stop and then proceed to dribble again. In Handball this is known as a dribble fault,
and possession of the ball is awarded to the other team. Progressive Punishment
Just like in soccer, if you start committing fouls, you will firstly be warned with a yellow
card. If you proceed to foul again, you are handed
a two minute suspension from the game like in ice hockey. A third foul draws another
two minute suspension and If you foul a fourth time, you are shown a
red card and you are ejected from the game. You can also be shown a straight red for serious
offences. Substitution
There are unlimited substitutions in Handball, and all substitutes must cross over on the
substitution line. If you have found this video at all helpful,
please like, comment share and subscribe. It takes ages to make one of these things
and good karma is much appreciated. If you’re also on Reddit, you can also post
the video and discuss it there. Handball is a popular sport in Europe and
is very similar to football and basketball, check out my videos on both sports if you’re
still not sure, but in the meantime, enjoy Handball! Ninh Ly,, @NinhLyUK

100 Replies to “The Rules of Handball (Team Handball or Olympic Handball) – EXPLAINED!”

  1. Thanks Ninh. I've been watching for a few years, mainly because my son plays (just played GB U18 squad), but I guess I ought to get the basics under my belt by now lol.

  2. Interesting explaination of how handball works, although there are a few things that are not quite right. For example not every foul leads to a progressive punishment, only dangerous fouls or fouls where the defending player has no chance of obtaining possession of the ball are punished. But except that, great video!

  3. This was very helpful thank you because my gym teacher told us to watch this for homework since the frist week of the month and I have been looking forever until I goggle it and watch yours so thank you so much ?
    And can substitutions be made ?

  4. this game has so much potential, give the player faceless hockey helmets allow tackling on the ball carry and shoulder to shoulder on any player, no restrictions o. holding / moving the ball.

  5. For the life of me I can NOT understand why this game has not taken off in the USA. I've been a fan since the early 1980s when a friend played on the US Women's Olympic Team. Great game. Off to introduce it to my rugby athletes right now.

  6. A tied handball match is most often just tied. Only when it's needed to find a winner comes the extra time and eventually the seven meter throws.

  7. Just a little correction
    At 3:16, it's actually after the 3rd 2min suspension, not the fourth. Otherwise, great vid!

  8. thank now i know want to to learn what handball my PE teacher tell everybody to watch this and learn how you do it. You Awesome now i understand everything now.

  9. We have this in u.s.a in New York not sure about the other states our goal is smaller we play after football, basketball, then what we call it European handball with a few changes in the rules

  10. So there's a few things that are not clear in this vid and as one who played handball for a long time, id like to clear out.

    First, at the beginning of the game, you can see the players kinda "feeling the ball". This is due to a special glue handball players usually put on the ball and on the hands for a batter grip. So, by "feeling" the ball the players actually putting glue on their hands.

    Second, commit "soft" faults are actually a good move for the defensive team. A solft fault will result in a restart of the attack at the nine metre line. In handball, a very fast sport, slowing the attack and stopping their momentum by commiting soft faults is a legit and well known strategy.

    Third, the video misleads when it gets to 7 metre shots (panalty shot). Because handball is a high score game, saying that "stopping a player with a legitimate potential of scoring" is down right wrong. There is one major thing that will result in panalty, touching an attacker from behind when he is in the 9 metre radius. For an example, pushing a player in the air when he is about to shoot. Why is this different then what Ninh said ? Because commiting a fault OUTSIDE of the 9 metre raduis WILL NOT result in a panalty shot. It can cause the defensive team in a 2 minutes/red card of even worth, but it will not cause a panalty shot.

    Another thing, somewhat important thing that Ninh forgot to mantion is a corner in handball. When a defensive play, except from the goalkeeper, touching the ball last before the ball goes behind the goal line, it will result a corner. One offensive player will have to deliver a pass (or a shot as far as I remember) to one of his teammates from the corner of the field.

    Another very important thing that Ninh forgot to mantion is that when you dribble , you have to put your hand ABOVE THE BALL AND ABOVE THE BALL ONLY. Doing differently will result in the ball handed to the other team. This is different from basketball ball dribbling as in basketball you have to keep your hand from "rounding" the ball.

    I know it's hard to squeeze all the rules into one 4 minutes long vid, but some of the stuff above you could have mantioned.

  11. Was I not attentive enough or did you make a video about HANDball and forgot to mention that touching the ball with your FOOT is not allowed?

  12. thank you this video was very helpful on my country report that i was supposed to tell about traditions or games they play. Thanks again!

  13. I remember being introduced to this game in 1976 in PE a few months prior to the Summer Olympics in Montreal. We were informed at that time it was European Handball. It's a simple sport to play and quite fun as well. Unsure as to why it never really took off in North America though. Thanks again Ninh from John in Calgary. Hey..Where can I get one of those Iceland jerseys?

  14. Please don’t use that song again. The siren in it is making me change the video. It’s fuckin annoying af

  15. I played Team Handball in Germany in the Women's League as a Goalkeeper. I still like this sport and I like it more than Basketball but the International game has changed since I have played it. First of all we women and men played in Germany in Amateur's Leaugues which were played in the Summer season on outdoor venues and fields, like sand, grass, clay, cement, etc. and with a week off between season, we played in the Hall in the Winter season. Therefore, as amateur athletes we played more games than any professional Handball Player but also more games than Basketball players. When I was still living in Germany and played this particular sport as an amateur – working full-time and playing Team Handball as recreational sport- regular games were actually 40 minutes in length. But now, in modern times and in the Olympics, men and women only play this game for 30 minutes per period. It seems like we amateurs had a lot harder work-out and game experiences than the men professional teams, like they have in Europe. It is amazing, that the men teams are recognized but we women teams are discarded even though we played by the same rules. But what else is new. Shame on you, you male Team Handball players who didn't fight for us.

  16. Team Handball is a great game because it is a lot more powerful and faster than Basketball and both teams have a goal keeper. Watch the games in the last Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro and you can see.

  17. Thank you for the help!! Im playing handball in my school and our PTC sir told us to watch a video on how to play handball and this really helped!! Wish me luck tommorow is my match!!

  18. Thats not handball where i come from hand ball where i come from u have to blast a ball to the wall and when it bounces the other player has to do the same and gaa is the same creatures

  19. Great overall explanation. I would only add the physical side of the game. This is no basketball. This can be full contact.

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